Tinubu Releases ₦10 Billion Emergency Fund Amid Fears Of Ebola Outbreak

The directive was announced on Tuesday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.

Tinubu also approved the creation of a Presidential Task Force on Ebola Virus Disease Preparedness and other emerging public health threats.

According to Onanuga, the intervention fund is intended to boost the operational capacity of the National Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) and enhance national response mechanisms to public health emergencies.

The newly established Task Force will be chaired by the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, with members drawn from relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies as well as state representatives.

The presidential aide said the approval followed a high-level stakeholder meeting chaired by the Chief of Staff, where Nigeria’s preparedness was reviewed and strategies were developed to prevent possible importation of Ebola into the country.

The disease has recently re-emerged in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda, raising concerns due to their proximity and travel links.

Key stakeholders at the meeting included representatives of the Ministry of Interior, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), the Lagos State Government, among others.

Tinubu also directed all states with international airports and major border corridors, along with relevant agencies, to submit detailed response plans, funding requirements, and intervention proposals for coordinated action.

Additional measures outlined for implementation include intensified passenger screening at international airports, including temperature checks and stricter crowd-control protocols, as well as closer monitoring of travellers arriving from high-risk flight routes such as Air Uganda, Rwanda Air, Air Tanzania, Air Angola, Kenya Airways, and Ethiopian Airlines.

The plan also includes activation of referral and isolation centres at the Lagos and Abuja international airports, with similar facilities to be established in other airports.

Other measures involve mandatory pre-arrival health declaration forms using QR codes for travellers from designated high-risk countries, as well as environmental disinfection of airport terminals, cargo areas, and baggage zones.

The President further instructed relevant agencies to engage security, diplomatic, and aviation authorities on regulating flights from affected regions.

The Task Force is also expected to designate specific airports or terminals for high-risk flights to ensure controlled screening and isolation procedures, and to adjust flight schedules where necessary to reduce contact between high-risk and other passengers.